Container for merchandise



S ept. 8, 1931. A. .1. TANNER CONTAINER FOR MERCHANDISE Filed July 2, 1930 Patented Sept. 8, 1931 ARNOLD J. TANNER, OF.NORTH HAVEN; CONNECTICUT I oonmrnnn non MERCHANDISE Application filed July 2,

The present invention has relation to containers of a particular class employed for packing merchandise and the main object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient container having certain improvements therein which tend to facilitate the manufacture of the container and also the operation of assembling andpacking the container.

The improved container is useful for packing different kinds ofmcrchandise but it is particularly applicable for use as a so-called cigar pack suchas commonly employed in the packing of five or ten cigars to provide an article which can be conveniently carried in the pocket of the consumer.

According to the present invention the improved container or pocket pack is composed of a single blank so designed and prepared that the container may be partly assembled and glued with an ordinary automatic folding and gluing machine. The improved container or pack is also so designed that there is material saving in the manufacturing cost and also the operation of setting the container up ready for packing is greatly simplified as compared with the operation of assembling boxes of a likekind nowin general use. Besides these advantages, the opening and closing of the container is simplified and made more convenient for the user when used as a pocket cigar pack.

According to the present invention, the improved'container or pack, as above stated, is composed of a one sheet blank cut and scored so as to be foldable to form the complete article with integral'means for closing of same. Said blank is so designed that the operation of folding and gluing the blank can readily be effected by an automatically operating machine and when so machine folded, the container is delivered in a flat condition. To set the container up for use in packing, the folded container is opened with a single movement by the operator and by a single fold of one member or section thereof and engaging looking or retentive means provided, the container is ready for packing. As compared with boxes heretofore employed this operation of assemeao; serial no, 465,315.

bling or setting up is greatly simplified and thisis a material advantage with volume production.

The improved container will be herein after more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective-view showing the improved pack in the open position;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the blank of which the improved container is composed; an Figure 8 is a plan view of a slightly modified form of the improved container, showing by broken'lines the closed position of the top closing flap. v Referring to said drawings, in Figure 2, the single blank of which the complete container is composed, is shown in the flat or unfolded condition' This blank has the main or body section 1 forming the back wall of the container. Lateral extension section2 extends from one side of said section 1 and this section 2 forms the front wall of the containen The section 2 isyconnccted indirectly to the section 1 by the intermediate section 3 and on the opposite side of section 1 a section 4:, similarto section 3, is formed and which sections are both defined by creased or folding lines 5. The sections 34 form the side Walls of the container when the blank is in the folded condition. In the initial folding operation the blank is run through an automatic'machine so as to fold the blank and adhesively unitethe lap or piece 6 Wlth'tllBlSGCtlOIl 2. The latter section is cut out at '7 to form an opening through which the contents of the container, cigars 8, for example, are visible. The section 1 has depending therefrom section 9 connected to section'l through intermediate section 10 and which latter section forms the bottom wall of the container. At the other end of said sectionl, section 11 is connected thereto indirectly by section 12 which forms the top wall "of the container when closed and these sectionsyll. and 12 provide a cover for the open'end and front of the container.

In theoperation of folding the'blank by machine, the blank is folded on one of the score lines 5' soas to bring the glue lap 6 over onto the edge of the section 2. The section or flap 9 may be first folded so that the section 2 will fold over the same in the ma chine operation of folding or if preferred the flap or section 9 may be tucked in after the machine operation. lVhen the flap is located within the folded container the flap is pulled upwardly so as to permit engagement of the tab 13 with the lower edge 1a of the opening in the front wall of the container.

The container when set up as above described is ready to receive the cigars, for example, and when the latter are packed, the section or flap l1, formingthe cover, is folded over and the tongue 15 thereof is insei ted and engaged in the slit 16 so as to thustightly close the container. When the container is so closed, a seal may be afiixed on the side wall of the container so as to engage the flap 11 and thereby render it impos sible to open the pack without destroying the seal which may be the usual revenue stamp. This stamp may, if desired, be placed over the tongue of the flap 11 and when so afiixed the pack cannot be opened without destroying the seal.

In Figure 3 a slightly modified form of retaining means for holding the flap 9 in the closed position is provided and in this example said flap 9 has projections or tabs 17 at the upper end of each side thereof and which tabs 17 engage the side edges of the opening in the front of the container to hold the flap 9 so that in this case, as in the previous example, the container cannot be opened from the bottom end without destroying the pack. 7 Various modifications may be made in carrying out the constructional details of the invention hereinbefore described or in the application of the invention, wholly or partly, and it is to be understood that any modification coming fairly within the terms of the appended claims shall be covered thereby.

I claim:

1. A container of the class described composed of a single blank forming a receptacle having front, back and side walls, said front wall. having an opening therein, upper and lower flaps extending from said blank providing closure means for the open top and bottom of the container, said upper flap folding over the container to close the open end and open front, said lower flap closing the bottom folding within the container and means integral with the lower flap engaging the edge or edges of said opening in said front wall for retentively holding the latter flap in the closing position.

2. A container of the class described com posed of a single blank forming a receptacle having front, back and side walls and open ends, said front wall having an opening therein, upper and lower flaps extending from said main section providing closure means for said open ends, said upper flap folding over the container to close one open end and the open front, said lower flap for closing the other open end folding within the container, and means for retentively holding said lower flap in the closing position comprising devices integral with said lower flap arranged to engage the edge or edges of the opening in said front wall.

3. A container of the class described composed of a single blank having a main sec tion with lateral extensions arranged to be folded and united to form the front, back and side walls of the container, the front wall having an opening therein, upper and lower flaps extending from said main section providing closure means for the top and bottom of the container, the upper flap folding over the container to close the open end and open front, the lower flapfor closing the bottom folding within the container,- means for retentively holding said lower flap in the closing position and said latter means comprising a tab or projections integral with said closing flap arranged to engage the edge or edges of said opening.

4. A container of the class described composed of a single blank having a main section with lateral extensions arranged to be folded and united to form the front, back and side walls of the container, the front wall having an opening therein, upper and lower flaps extending from said main section providing closure means for the top and bottom of the container, the upper flap folding over the container to close the open end and open front, the lower flap for closing the bottom folding within the container, means for retentively holding said lower flap in the closing position, said latter means comprising a tab or projections integral with said closin fla 3 arran ed to en a e the D it) h b edge or edges of said opening and said closure means for the upper end of the con tamer comprising a tongue engaged m. a

slit or pocket so as to lie between the lower closing flap and the front wall of the container.

Signed at New Haven, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, this 1st day of July, 1930.

ARNOLD J. TANNER. 

